Religious groups oppose Keystone XL pipeline

The Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids have joined dozens of other religious organizations in writing to Sec. of State Hillary Clinton to express their opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry tar sands crude oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast of Texas.

Here is the full text of the letter:

Dear Secretary Clinton;

As faith-based organizations concerned for people and the environment in the United States and Canada, we respectfully request that you deny the presidential permit that TransCanada Corporation has applied for, in an effort to stop the construction of the Keystone Pipeline XL project.

The construction of such a pipeline from Alberta, Canada to Houston, TX would have devastating impacts on people in the area. The tar-sands oil under the Boreal Forest in Canada is some of the dirtiest fuel on the planet. Once extracted and burned, tar-sands oil produces high levels of sulfur oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. As such, the health problems to those who reside in the refining processing area would be tangible. Furthermore, the refinery sites of Houston and Port Arthur, TX are already failing the Clean Air Act standards; adding more sulfur, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide to the air will only compound the already existing poor conditions and have adverse affects on the people in these cities, as well as the surrounding areas. A pipeline, such as this, cannot be in the national interest and, therefore, needs to be stopped.

The proposed pipeline would cross not only 1,300 miles of privately owned land, but 500 miles of farmland, as well as the Yellowstone River and the Ogallala Aquifer. The Ogallala Aquifer provides roughly 30% of all the water used for irrigation on American farms. We urge you to look at the recent string of tar sands oil spills to realize the devastating impacts that an oil spill can have. We cannot afford to allow even the possibility of an oil spill affect water that accounts for nearly one third of our irrigation water.

Workers, neighboring communities, and the environment have paid the price for the oil industry’s rapid expansion of the tar sands. The pristine Boreal Forest has been ravaged by strip mining and pollution. This pollution has impacted wildlife and people living in the area. Downstream from the mining operations, indigenous people have seen high rates of rare cancers and other diseases. In one indigenous community of 1,200 people, over 100 community members have died of cancer and other auto-immune diseases in the last decade.

As a people of faith, we are in awe of Earth’s goodness and its ability to provide life for all of God’s creation. As such we need to ensure that proper steps are taken to secure this ability for future generations to come. As a people, society, and government we need to respect the intrinsic value of creation, and thus, the environment as well. We urge you not to permit TransCanada the opportunity to build the Keystone XL Pipeline.

We urge you, and the Obama Administration to take this opportunity to stop the Keystone Pipeline from being built. We realize the pipeline is a response to increasing demands for energy in the U.S. As an alternative, we encourage investments in increased efficiency and sustainable energy systems using wind, solar and geothermal power. Solutions requiring efficiency and sustainability will endure and will maintain our health and the health of the environment. We agree that the U.S. needs, as President Obama has said, a “clean energy future”. Tar-sands oil cannot in any way be described as “clean energy”. Stop the pipeline before it ever starts.

Sincerely,

8th Day Center for Justice
Adorers of the Blood of Christ, US Region
Advocacy Committee for Justice and Peace of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Blauvelt Dominican Sisters Social Justice Committee
Carmelite Sisters of Charity, Vedruna, Northamerican Region
Chicago Benedictines for Peace
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
The Congregation of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart
Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes – General Council, Fond du Lac, WI
Congregational Leadership Team, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Dominican Sisters – Grand Rapids
The Dominican Sisters of Houston
Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL
Franciscan Action Network
Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls
Institute Justice Team, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Justice and Peace Network of the Sisters of St. Francis, Rochester, MN
Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation Office, School Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Louis, MO.
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Leadership Team, Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters
Leadership Team, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Medical Mission Sisters – Justice Alliance
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate – Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office
Office of Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation, School Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Paul, MN
Office of Peace and Justice, Sinsinawa Dominicans, Sinsinawa, WI
Partnership for Earth Spirituality, New Mexico
Religious Sisters of Charity
School Sisters of Notre Dame of St. Louis, Provincial Council
School Sisters of Notre Dame Shalom North America Coordinating Committee
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Congregational Leadership, Nazareth, KY
Sisters of Mercy New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West Justice Team
Sisters of Mercy, South Central Community
Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia
Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi
Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, Joliet, IL
Sisters of St. Francis, Tiffin, Ohio
Sisters of the Holy Cross Congregation Justice Committee, Notre Dame, IN
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Associates, St. Louis Province
Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield
Sisters of the Presentation, Aberdeen, SD
Sisters Online, St. Paul, MN
Texas Interfaith Power and Light, a program of Texas impact
The Daughters of Mary and Joseph
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
Women Religious for Justice, St. Paul, MN